


shoot for the stars

by xuxikr



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Basketball!Au, Kisses, M/M, highschool!au, jaemin is a basketball star, renjun is a math nerd, side hyuckhei bc i am Trash, they were childhood bestfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 15:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15584940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xuxikr/pseuds/xuxikr
Summary: In the end, Donghyuck ends up going with him and Chenle. But of course with much persuasion because Donghyuck is that kind of person. If he only knew, he’s been wanting to go to the match because Yukhei is there and Renjun knows that Yukhei makes Donghyuck all tongue-tied. Donghyuck pretends he hates Yukhei because he’s loud and obnoxious, but the crush is irrefutable.If anyone knows a thing or two about crushes on basketball players, it’s Renjun.





	shoot for the stars

**Author's Note:**

> i havent proofread this but when did i ever proof read anything lbr

Jaemin has the kind of smile that can knock anyone off their feet and the kind of smile that makes Renjun find the need to pivot away from him whenever they pass by each other in the school hallways.

See, it’s not that Renjun is embarrassed about being seen with Jaemin. But it’s in the way that Jaemin smiles at him recognition, his hand raising in a small wave that has him shying away from Jaemin. Because Jaemin is cool in all the ways that he is not.

Despite the fact that they have been friends for most of their childhood, things aren’t the same as they are anymore as when Renjun’s five and he has just moved from China to Korea. Five year old Jaemin isn’t tall and plays basketball and has a smile so charming Renjun always feels his heart palpitating whenever one is sent his way.

In short, Renjun may or may not have a tiny crush on his childhood best friend.

Their friendship is unspoken, save for the casual nods of recognition and the casual hello, they don’t really interact within the school grounds. And no one really know they ever became friends. Their houses are right next to each other but Jaemin always has basketball practice until late at night so they don’t even get to go home together.

Renjun figures that growing up is like this. Growing out of old habits, finding new hobbies and well… essentially, losing and gaining friends come with it too.

He’s not a complete loner, despite the fact that his older cousin has told him that joining the Math club is akin to social suicide, Renjun has friends.

They’re sitting around him in the cafeteria, there’s Donghyuck who’s always good at whatever he does despite the seemingly minimum effort he put into anything ever. Truthfully, he doesn’t know how Donghyuck hangs out with him because Donghyuck is much cooler than he can ever be. Then, there’s the new Chinese kid who Renjun took under his wing the first moment he saw him. Birds of the same feather really do flock together.

“Are you guys going to the basketball game on Friday?” Chenle asks as he punches a hole through his juice box, looks around between his two friends and is met with utter silence after his question.

Renjun looks at him incredulously as he chews slowly on his food. “When did we ever go to a basketball game?”

Donghyuck, with all his snark and glory laughs. “Did you suddenly forget who we are, Lele? Plus, what’s the point of basketball games other than the team battling it out in their shorts for their machoism? Not into it.”

Chenle backs it up a little bit. “Alright, edge lord. I get it, you’re not going to the game.”

Just at that moment as Chenle and Donghyuck discuss the principles of basketball and how it coincides with the patriarchal society, the basketball team walks in. All twelve of them with their loud laughing and boisterous talking, Renjun and the rest of the group cannot help but divert their attention to them. They just have this way of grabbing everyone’s attention in any room they walk into. Must be athlete perks.

“I can practically smell the gym socks and sweat from all the way here.” Donghyuck comments as he goes back to playing with his food, but Renjun sees the way he looks at Yukhei (tall, dark and handsome) and knows that Donghyuck doesn’t really mean all his words.

And then from the crowd of tall heads, Jaemin somehow manages to spot him and send a quick wave his way. Renjun stiffens, but smiles nonetheless.

Maybe, just maybe, he might change his mind about going to the game on Friday.

 

**

 

Friday rolls around without Renjun even realizing it. He’s been caught up in his homework and reviewing for the Math triathlon happening in the next month that he barely pays any attention to whatever else is going around him that doesn’t involve him and a book.

His only reminder that the world doesn’t revolve around numbers and literary book reviews is this morning as he goes to take out the trash. He hates it when his mother nags, so Renjun does the chores even before he gets told to.

“Renjun!” Someone from across the street calls his name and it makes Renjun jump up.

The deep baritone of the voice is ever so familiar, and Jaemin tosses a basketball at him. His hands act before he can think and before he knows it, there’s a ball in his hand and his heart is beating loud in his chest. Possibly from the fear of getting hit in the face but more probably because of the fact that Jaemin is talking to him.

Don’t get him wrong, it’s always nice talking to Jaemin. But they haven’t talked in so long that this feels almost foreign to him. He almost doesn’t know how to act in front of his childhood friend.

Jaemin walks over to him in confident strides, and he notices how Jaemin is still in his sleepwear what with the shorts (what is it with basketball boys and their copious amounts of jersey shorts?) and the loose shirt that hangs on his shoulders. “You’re up early.” Jaemin comments once he’s in front of him.

Renjun swallows the lump in his throat, extending his arms to hand the basketball back to Jaemin. “I’m always up early.”

It’s early morning, just before the sun rises and the sky is blue as the cool air touches Renjun’s skin. “So how come I don’t ever see you this early?” Jaemin asks curiously, head tilting to the side and the way that his hair is mussed from sleep almost makes Renjun’s heart implode.

The smaller laughs at Jaemin’s question but answers it genuinely nonetheless. “I’m always inside the house, studying. Some people have better things to do than… run around playing with balls or something—” He means it as a joke and he hopes Jaemin takes it as one.

There’s a momentary look of confusion on Jaemin’s face before his lips stretch into his trademark smile again. “You wound me, Injun.”

No one has really called him that before, with Renjun refusing to tell anyone about his Korean name and the old nickname makes Renjun smile.

There’s a small moment of silence before Renjun remembers something. Today is Jaemin’s big game. “Nana,” he uses the old nickname too and there’s a hint of delight on Jaemin’s face at the old familiarity, “good luck on your game today.”

Jaemin smiles and if Renjun isn’t making this up, he can even say that he was smiling shyly upon the wish of good luck. In his opinion, Jaemin doesn’t need it. He has seen Jaemin play basketball games before, he remembers being seven and Jaemin asking him to play with the basketball his father got him. Renjun used to think of it as dodgeball and kept on running away whenever Jaemin passed him the ball. But Jaemin, he plays like a star and it’s no wonder he’s in the team.

“Thanks, Injun.” Jaemin says as his hand reaches out and lands an appreciative squeeze. Renjun swears his whole body is sweating cold and his heart is going to run away from him any time soon from the way it was beating erratically in his ribs.

“Ah, you’re going to game, right?” There’s an expectant look on Jaemin’s face—and Jaemin has always been someone Renjun cannot say no to.

“Sure… how can I not cheer for you on the big game, right?”

Lee Donghyuck is never going to let him live this down.

He remembers being on the listening end of Jaemin’s anticipation for the basketball try-outs during their first year in high school. It’s late at night but they’re still in the makeshift half court located behind Jaemin’s house. Renjun still doesn’t know how to play basketball but Jaemin is so good at it Renjun finds no need to practice for try-outs.

Jaemin has gotten much taller now, despite looking as if he’s a child whose limbs grew way too fast for him to catch up to, Renjun still thinks he looks good. And somewhere along the clumsy way of middle school and puberty, Renjun finds himself looking at Jaemin in a not-so bestfriend way anymore. He doesn’t look at Jaemin the same anymore.

“Jaemin,” Renjun yawns, hugging his water bottle close to him as he watches Jaemin in all his sweaty glory dribble and shoot hoops as if clockwork. Renjun is sure that Jaemin’s muscles have memorized this two-step move that he can achieve it even while asleep. “When are we going back?”

Jaemin stop running, holding the basketball in front of him as he walks back to where Renjun is. “You sleepy?”

It’s not that Renjun doesn’t like being around Jaemin, he does, he enjoys being around him but he has a huge test tomorrow and he needs his sleep for a fully functioning brain.

“A little. But I’m worried about you, aren’t you going to be too tired tomorrow? You’ve been practicing since we got home.” In this time, Renjun and Jaemin still walk home together.

Jaemin breathes in and breathes out, just like how Renjun has taught him when they were ten and Jaemin experiences his first panic attack right before a basketball game with the grown-up boys in the neighbourhood. “I’m just… really nervous, I want to do well—I want to be in the team, Injunnie.”

Renjun pats the space next to him on the ground. Jaemin settles next to him, head against his shoulder and Renjun doesn’t even mind that he’s sweaty. “You’ll get in. I’m speaking it into existence.”

“What if I don’t?”

Renjun groans. “But you will. I said it. Words have a way of coming true, you know?” Jaemiin has a tendency to be pessimistic when it comes to sizing up his skill and talent. But basketball _is_ Jaemin’s thing. They both know that he’s born for the sport.

Maybe this is the moment that really seals the nail on the coffin, the moment that Renjun wholeheartedly accepts that he _likes_ Jaemin.

Jaemin looks up at him, all pretty eyes with his hair stuck to his forehead because of the sweat. And Renjun looks back at him, a bit taken aback at how close their faces are from each other and he cannot help the way his eyes dart down to the other’s lips just at the right moment to see Jaemin wet his lips with his tongue.

Renjun swallows nervously, looking back up at Jaemin with a nervous laugh. “What would I do without you, Injunnie?”

Yeah, he’s doomed. He likes Jaemin.

What brings Renjun away from his trance is Jaemin laughing, tossing the basketball back to him and Renjun snaps back just at the right moment to catch it in between his hands. “I’ll look for you in the crowd, okay? You have to be there.”

“Promise. How can I miss you winning the biggest game of the season?” Renjun says as he begins to dribble the ball. He’s not as skilled as Jaemin, but watching him in close proximity for years has taught him a thing or two.

Jaemin tries to steal the ball from him, his chest pressed against Renjun’s back as he guards it with his whole body, curling himself around it. “Your words have a way of coming true, Injun.”

Renjun feels how close Jaemin is to him, and follows the instinct to run away. Jaemin only runs after him. “That’s travelling!” He yells after Renjun, but Renjun doesn’t look back.

“You’re going to win the game! I’m speaking it into existence!”

 

**

 

In the end, Donghyuck ends up going with him and Chenle. But of course with much persuasion because Donghyuck is that kind of person. If he only knew, he’s been wanting to go to the match because Yukhei is there and Renjun knows that Yukhei makes Donghyuck all tongue-tied. Donghyuck pretends he hates Yukhei because he’s loud and obnoxious, but the crush is irrefutable.

If anyone knows a thing or two about crushes on basketball players, it’s Renjun.

They’re sitting by the bleachers and it seems like the whole school has come to see them play. After all, it’s a do or die game for the championship and whoever wins this, take all—pride, glory, the trophy and the prize money for the basketball team.

But Renjun knows it’s more than the recognition and the glory. He knows why Jaemin plays and he admires the hardwork and passion that’s put into every game. Through time, he has learned to block out Donghyuck’s mean words about the players.

He has the balloon clappers they hand to the students when they get inside the basketball court and he’s hiding himself behind them very well. The players are stretching, and he can’t stop himself from looking at Jaemin. Jaemin is smiling and Renjun is smiling too.

Somehow, for some reason, just as he promised him this morning—Jaemin sees him through the crowd and gives him a big wave. The kind that he uses all of his body with and it’s hard to miss Renjun from the way Jaemin is looking at him. He feel Chenle’s and Donghyuck’s eyes on him. In fact, he feels the entire room’s eyes on him and he blushes beet red.

But no amount of shyness can stop him from supporting Jaemin. So he waves back at him with all his body too, his balloon clappers waving way up in his hands. But Jaemin one ups him, starts to shoot hearts at him and Donghyuck yells in shock.

“What the fuck! Renjun, why is Na Jaemin giving you hearts?!” Donghyuck asks him, shaking his entire body and Chenle is laughing right in his ear next to him. Donghyuck and Chenle know that Jaemin knows him, but not like this—not this intimate.

Jaemin sends him a wink, and that ends it all for Renjun.

He’s going to die from the way his heart is beating inside of his chest, he can’t even look at his friends because even when Jaemin has turned away to huddle with his team, Renjun can’t stop looking at him.

Perhaps, this is the happiest day of his life.

Donghyuck continues to demand answers from him, but Renjun has none to give. “Renjun, I know basketball people are like the most heterosexual group of people ever but… this isn’t… straight.”

 “Hyuck,” Renjun shakes off the hand on his shoulder and Donghyuck finally sits properly, “I don’t know, okay? I don’t know but I like it.”

Donghyuck supplements. “No, you like him.”

Chenle laughs. “And Hyuck hyung like Yukhei hyung.”

Donghyuck pretends to punch Chenle, and Chenle screams at the top of his lungs as the game begins.

 

**

 

Renjun’s words have a way of coming true. During the time Donghyuck is auditioning for the lead role in the spring musical, with tight competition, Renjun assures him that he’s going to get the part. Lo and behold, a month later, Donghyuck takes front and center of the stage. Chenle says it’s some sort of his super power, but Renjun swears he’s just basing it on pure luck and observation.

So when his words come true and the team wins, Renjun claims it’s his super power again.

When Jaemin shoots the buzzer beater, with less than five seconds on the clock and the other team leads with a mere one point—Renjun prays to all the gods he’s ever known for that shot to make it.

And it goes through, not hitting the rim of the basketball ring and the crowd goes wild. Renjun jumps up in glee as Jaemin pumps his fist up in the air.  

The basketball team huddle around Jaemin, enveloping him in a group hug and in a moment, Jaemin’s on Yukhei’s shoulders as they celebrate.

Renjun feels his heart swell with glee, watching as Jaemin live the best moment of his life. And perhaps it’s the mood or the atmosphere of the game that has everyone pumped up, but Donghyuck and Chenle are cheering for them too.

 

**

 

He’s walking home from the game with a skip in his step, hugging the balloon clappers close to his chest with the image of Jaemin being that happy imprinted at the back of his mind.

As happy as he is for Jaemin, Renjun knows they now live separate worlds and he cannot intrude their special moment. He wanted to say hi to Jaemin, to congratulate him, but everyone in the school population has the same thing in mind and has crowded around the team after the game. Donghyuck and Chenle insist they don’t even try to get in between so Renjun obliges.

He’s in front of his house when a car rolls over in front of him and Renjun both has curiosity and alarm in him. He knows it’s coming from him as it slows down as it reaches his house.

But the fear ebbs away, and only excitement comes to him when Jaemin steps out of the car, thanking Mark (the team captain) and Yukhei (tall, dark and handsome) for the free ride.

“Hi,” Renjun says finally when Mark and Yukhei has driven away from them.

Jaemin stands in front of him, looking soft and happy—he’s glowing.

“Your words came true again.” Jaemin begins, stepping closer and minimizing the distance between them.

Renjun shrugs, smiles smugly when Jaemin claims it’s his words that made them win. “What can I say? It’s my super power.”

Jaemin laughs a little. “You never fail me.”

“No, in all seriousness though—congratulations on winning the game. You worked hard.” Renjun gives him an awkward pat on the arm, not really sure how this whole thing goes.

But Jaemin pulls him in a hug. And that freezes Renjun in his spot.

“Thank you, Injun.”

Renjun doesn’t understand where this is coming from, where the sudden affection and where the old forgotten friendship suddenly coming back rooted from but he can’t say that he isn’t enjoying this. He hugs Jaemin back, his palms spread upon his broad back and his face hidden in Jaemin’s shoulders.

“Why are you thanking me?” Renjun laughs, muffled against his clothes but Jaemin remains serious.

“You’ve been here for me all this time… and I feel like I haven’t thanked you enough.”

Renjun finds it odd, but he doesn’t question it.

“You don’t have to, we all grow up and… sometimes we grow out of friendships too, I guess? I’m not holding it against you, or anything. I understand how it is.” He says, not meaning his voice to sound as solemn as it does now.

Jaemin doesn’t pull away, instead pulls her in much closer. “We’re not friends anymore?”

This is a hug that lasts too long to be considered friendly, Renjun is lost but he doesn’t despise the feeling. Jaemin coming back to him isn’t something he fervently prayed for or anything. He recognizes that he has a crush on Jaemin, but doesn’t really plan on doing anything about it. They’re childhood friends, and they’re graduating soon. Jaemin’s going to move out and there’s a huge possibility that Renjun is taking university in Beijing. There’s really no point to pursue him.

“Jaemin, I don’t mean it like that.” Renjun pushes away to look at Jaemin, and Jaemin pulls away enough to look at his face. Jaemin doesn’t seem to smell of alcohol, so he cancels out the drunk talking theory in his head. So this Jaemin is sober and serious—but what for?

“We’re friends… yes, but we hang out with different people you know? You’re super popular and everyone likes you, I get that. I get that, really. I don’t hold it against you that everyone loves you. We’re still friends.”

See, Renjun is completely fine by being in the sidelines of Jaemin’s life. By being an old story he tells his future kids, he’s satisfied with the situation between them. Although Renjun is going to want more, and more, and more of Jaemin—he has to make himself content with the fact that this is all they’re ever going to be.

Jaemin finally pulls away. “So is that why you’ve been avoiding me? Because you think everyone loves me?”

Renjun sputters nervously, a shaky laugh escaping his throat when Jaemin finally lets him go. Renjun takes a step back. “Ignoring you?! I’m not ignoring you! No one can ignore you, Jaemin!”

He wonders where that indictment came from. Renjun has never in his life ignored Jaemin.

Oh.

Save for the times he ran away because Jaemin said hi to him after Biology. Or the time Jaemin invited him to play basketball with him but he gets so anxious and red in front of Jaemin that he always makes up a lame excuse not to. Perhaps all the times Renjun has ran away from Jaemin because of how much he likes him translated to him ignoring Jaemin.

The realization hits him like a truck and the small pout on Jaemin’s face makes him lose all footing. “Sorry… it’s not that I’m ignoring you because you have cool friends or something…” He mumbles under his breath, stepping back again.

Jaemin only steps forward. “So what is it about then?”

He feels the tips of his ears heat up as Jaemin probes and asks him that. He fears that he’s being too obvious. He has two options, to lie and tell Jaemin another lame excuse… or tell him the truth.

Jaemin deserves the latter.

“You have to promise me one thing.” Renjun says, straightening up this time and standing tall. He still doesn’t reach Jaemin’s height and he hates how he has to crane his neck to meet with Jaemin’s eyes.

Jaemin looks at him with all the fondness the world has to offer and that makes Renjun’s knees feel like jelly. He remembers when he can read Jaemin like an open book, but now, Renjun is going in blind. “What is it, Injun?”

“You won’t hate me after I tell you why.”

Jaemin laughs, almost incredulous. Renjun knows Jaemin is laughing at him, but he can’t help but feel his entire body warm up because of that sound. “Injun! You can tell me you don’t like pineapples on pizza, or that you hate watching basketball games and I won’t hate you!”

Renjun hits his arm, bashful. “Stop laughing at me! I’m serious! You have to promise!”

The taller presses his lips together in a thin line and controls his facial expressions enough to utter his next words. “I promise.”

Renjun takes a deep breath, looks at Jaemin and thinks of all the things he might lose upon confessing. But then the amount of thing he might gain upon confessing overweighs the bad… Renjun takes a deep breath.

They’re seniors soon, and it’ll be their last year of high school before going off to university. Maybe this is the time to tell Jaemin the truth. And if Jaemin ends up despising him for how he feels, then he can just live in complete misery for a year and then go back home to China to never return to South Korea.

But Jaemin looks at him, and Renjun believes that Jaemin can’t ever hate him.

“It’s… well… I don’t know when it started, but it’s because I like you. Like… in a crush kind of way? I guess.” The confession is weak, and Renjun has his hands clasped together, pressed to his chest as he anticipates Jaemin’s answer.

His truth is met with silence and Renjun begins to panic. “But! Like I said! You can’t hate me, I’m not ignoring you because I hate you or whatever—it’s just that when you’re around my heart goes all _whoosh_ and I don’t know how to act! I know it’s weird but I really like y—”

He doesn’t know how it happens, but Jaemin has his hand cupping Renjun’s cheek, the other resting above his waist and his lips are pressed to his in a soft kiss.

It takes a second before he responds, body melding against Jaemin’s and he has his arms wrapped around his neck. He kisses him back, a bit unsure but firm and Renjun loses all feelings in his body.

Jaemin pulls away, too quickly for Renjun’s liking but there’s a faint blush on his cheek that Renjun can’t deny. “Injun-ah, the thing is… I like you to, so will you go out with me?”

There are a lot of questions going through Renjun’s head. Such as, when did Jaemin start liking him? What does he even like about him? Why is he such a good kisser and why does Renjun want to kiss him again?

He answers the question with another kiss, a peck. “Yeah.”

Jaemin has the kind of smile that can knock anyone off their feet and the kind of smile that makes Renjun find the need pepper his face with kisses like this. Jaemin lets him, hands holding his hips as Renjun stands on his tiptoes to kiss Jaemin. They’re in giggling fits, laughing at themselves and at the situation they have found themselves in.

But Renjun pauses, pushes Jaemin away and stands firm. “Jaemin, you have to tell me… when did you start liking me exactly?”

Jaemin cups both of his cheeks and squeezes them together. Renjun whines. “That’s a story for another day, Injun-ah.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> just smth short and sweet :) this is a mess but i love all renjun ships :))))) might make a markhyuckhei spin off :)))
> 
> cc: [xuxikr](https://curiouscat.me/xuxikr)  
> twt: [@renduckie](https://twitter.com/renduckie)


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